It is sort of the wrong time in the NBA season for some teams to get a major trade done such as with Irving to New Orleans
New OrleansBrandon Ingram..............$29,467,800
Jonas Valanciunas...........$14,000,000
Josh Hart.....................$12,000,000
Devonte' Graham............$11,000,000
Zion Williamson.............$10,733,400
Tomas Satoransky...........$10,000,000
Jaxson Hayes.................$5,348,280
Garrett Temple..............$4,910,000
Kira Lewis Jr.................$3,822,240
Nickeil Alexander-Walker..$3,261,480
Trey Murphy III..............$3,053,760
Willy Hernangomez.........$2,327,220
Didi Louzada.................$1,786,878
Wenyen Gabriel.............$1,762,796
Herbert Jones...............$1,700,000
Naji Marshall.................$1,517,981
Deadlines:
12/15/21 — No-trade restrictions lift on Willy Hernangomez, Didi Louzada, Devonte’ Graham and Garrett Temple.
1/7/22 — Wenyen Gabriel’s $1,762,796 guarantees for 2021-22.
1/15/22 — No-trade restriction lifts on Josh Hart.
After removing players that can't be traded until mid December at the earliest:
Brandon Ingram..............$29,467,800
Jonas Valanciunas...........$14,000,000
Zion Williamson.............$10,733,400
Tomas Satoransky...........$10,000,000
Jaxson Hayes.................$5,348,280
Kira Lewis Jr.................$3,822,240
Nickeil Alexander-Walker..$3,261,480
Trey Murphy III..............$3,053,760
Willy Hernangomez.........$2,327,220
Wenyen Gabriel.............$1,762,796
Herbert Jones...............$1,700,000
Naji Marshall.................$1,517,981
Irving -- $35,328,700
$35,328,700 - $100,000 = $35,228,700
$35,228,700 / 1.25 = $28,182,960
Prove
$28,182,960.00 * 1.25 = $35,228,700
$35,228,700 + $100,000 $35,328,700
Stacking/aggregating/consolidating many cheap players to get enough outgoing salary is truly awkward. So JV + Satoransky would appear to be the basis for an Irving trade. That would leave Hayes and Hernangomez as the Centers and I don't have New Orleans putting themselves into that situation.